1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the recording of medical information by a strip chart recorder and, more particularly, is directed toward a method .Iadd.and apparatus .Iaddend.for recording medical information by a strip chart recorder in which the information is initially communicated to a data entry system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For graphically recording fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine activity (UA) measured by a fetal monitoring device, a strip chart recorder, having a two-channel strip chart is typically employed. Additional information which may be of interest, such as time of day, paper speed and FHR and UA monitoring modes, is recorded by the recorder between the two channels of the strip chart. An apparatus presently available which incorporates the above is the Hewlett Packard Model 8040A Fetal Monitor.
Recorders, such as incorporated in the Model 8040A, however, unduly limit the variety of information available for documentation by the recorder. More particularly, the recorders are unable to record information which may be highly pertinent in interpreting the graphs of FHR and UA. For example, it may be extremely important to know whether the mother has changed positions while being monitored, whether medication is being administered, the fetal pH levels and temperature of the mother, the oxygen, intravenous and oxytocin rates being administered to the mother, and the material pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
Up to now, such pertinent information has had to be jotted down by a nurse or doctor on the strip chart by non-automatic means, that is, by hand while the strip chart was moving due to advancement of the chart by the recorder. Consequently, the pertinent information was, at times, illegible. Furthermore, by being forced to record the pertinent information by hand, the doctor or nurse had to walk over to the recorder and away from the mother which could be extremely inconvenient, if not impossible, because of the physical location of the recorder and/or condition of the mother.
Of course, some of this pertinent information may not be always applicable or need be recorded only when a change in the particular parameter of information has occurred. For example, if the ph level remains constant there is no need to record the ph level over and over on the strip chart. Thus, the doctor or nurse should be free to pick and choose when and which parameters of pertinent information are to be recorded by the recorder on the strip chart.